CHOICE's annual safety testing of Australia's most popular portable cots has found that six out of 11 products tested fail key safety standards.
The six portable cots failed to meet both voluntary and mandatory Australian standards that CHOICE conducts its testing against.
The following portable cots from our 2022 tests had one or more serious safety failures:
- Baby Bunting 4Baby Clouds 2 in 1 Portacot
- Baby Bunting 4Baby Vacation Portacot
- Kmart Anko 3 in 1 Portacot
- Phil & Teds Traveller 2021
- Star Kidz Vivo Super Light Travel Cot
- Target Adventure V2 3 in 1 Portacot
"The failure rate that we've seen in our latest round of portable cot testing is really concerning. We know that parents expect better from brands that are sold by popular retailers like Target and Baby Bunting," says CHOICE testing expert, Kim Gilmour.
"The most common safety issue we saw in our testing was a mattress that isn't firm enough, which is a factor linked to sudden unexpected death in infancy."
Other key safety issues taken into account in CHOICE testing include whether portable cots have breathable zones on all four sides, sturdiness and stability, and an absence of other factors that could cause a child injury, such as entrapment hazards.
Gilmour says that outdated mandatory standards contribute to unsafe products remaining on the market.
"Newer voluntary standards incorporate important safety factors like breathable zones, but they still haven't made it into law. While it's pleasing to see more manufacturers meeting them, it's still not mandatory to do so."
"These safety failures are part of a broader problem around product safety protections. Governments often wait until tragedy strikes before they make safety standards mandatory. This reactive approach puts consumers at risk and is deeply inappropriate for products like portable cots."
If you've already purchased one of these unsafe portable cots, CHOICE recommends you stop using it immediately. CHOICE also recommends you contact the retailer or manufacturer and ask for a full refund, but they may not oblige unless the portable cot has been officially recalled.
Read the full story here: www.choice.com.au/portablecotsafety
Learn more about how we test portable cots here: https://www.choice.com.au/babies-and-kids/baby-transport/portable-cots/articles/how-we-test-portable-cots
Images of cots available here: https://sites.google.com/choice.com.au/portablecots
Interviews and demonstrations: CHOICE testing expert Kim Gilmour is available to demonstrate our testing process and show the common issues that parents should look out for when choosing a portable cot.
Media contact: 0430 172 669, media@choice.com.au
